The Adventure of Harry Holmes
by EmeryLark
Summary: When a four year old Harry Potter was removed from his relatives care due to abuse. He is taken into the care of a very eccentric pair of brothers, who value deductive reasoning and cleverness far more then any emotion. What will become of the Boy Who Lived when he discovers who he truly is? And what will become of the Wizarding World when H. J. Holmes attends Hogwarts?
1. The Curious Neighbor

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters created by J. K. Rowling or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, nor do I own rights to any adaptation of the works of the latter. In this case I am referring to "Sherlock" the brilliant BBC series. This story is purely for enjoyment, I promise you I am not making any money off this.

Warning: Rating this a T for now, rating may go up as the story progresses. This story does contain violence toward children, but it' a Harry Potter story, so you kind of expect that going in.

Please read and enjoy, reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome, thank you.

-/\-

It was a very hot August afternoon on Privet Drive. All the residents were in doors talking advantage of air conditioning and cool drinks, all but one. Harry Potter, a very small four year old boy was outside in the garden. His aunt had ordered him to weed the back garden. She had noticed the other day while spying on Number 2's garden that she had had a patch of wilting marigolds and her geraniums were ghastly.

So naturally Petunia needed to make sure her garden was perfect and the envy of all. But she soon discovered it was terribly uncomfortable trying to garden during a record heat wave was, thus she sent out her four year old nephew with nothing but a hand spade and trowel to weed, water and tidy the entire back garden, he was not allowed to rest or come back inside until the job was finished to his aunts satisfaction, all the while she was in the living room telling her husband all the gossip she had gotten about the new family on the street, the Reynolds, from America, who were moving in that very day.

Harry had been at his task for over four hours and was utterly exhausted and starting to get rather sun burned when his uncle came outside. Harry cringed, he knew that Vernon Dursley had been drinking, and he knew far too well what happened when her drank.

"What are you doing there, you Freak!"

-/\-

That afternoon the Reynolds moved into number 7 Privet Drive. It was an incredibly boring house, that looked just like every other incredibly boring house on the astoundingly boring street. Jason Reynolds, Mr. Reynolds eleven years old son, was staying out of his parents way and playing with his new video recorder his grandmother gave him before they moved to England.

This camera was the method with which he first saw the little black haired boy working in a back garden. It struck Jason that he was a very young boy to be weeding, and on such a hot day. He decided to film him for a bit, little kids often did funny things. Maybe he wasn't gardening, but playing with something. Jason was about to call out to the boy when a very fat man waddled out of the house.

"What are you doing there, you Freak!" the fat man shouted.

"Weeding the garden, Uncle Vernon." he said quietly.

"Why aren't you done yet!" he strode up who had stood up to look at him, and backhanded the boy, knocking him back several feet and causing him to fall hard onto the flowerbed, crushing the petunias and zinnias. "Now look what you've done!" He shouted and raised his fist and delivered another blow.

"Hey, you can't do that." Jason shouted. The Fat Man rounded on him.

"Shut it , you little prat!" the Fat Man shouted and lurched toward Jason, reaching out to grab him. "Give me that camera!" He bellowed. Jason turned on his heels and ran as fast as he could back home. He had to tell his Dad what he saw.


	2. The Official Response

Jason Reynolds ran straight home with the last that he saw or heard of the Fat Man, he was shouting about a cupboard.

"Mom! Dad!" he shouted, dodging the movers carrying the sofa and several boxes. He found his father in the living room setting up the TV.

"Hey Jase, you can start unpacking your room, we've got your bed and dresser in there now." Mr. Dave Reynolds said.

"Dad, I just saw this fat guy punch out a kid!"

"What?" his father asked incredulously. "Jason Reynolds, that is not funny." he said unwilling to believe such a thing. This was such a quiet street. In response his son thrust the camcorder at him.

"I'm not kidding! The Fat guy across the street just punched this little kid."

Dave took the camera from his son and connected it to the television, rewound the tape and hit the playback. Two minutes later Dave turned toward the kitchen and called to his wife, "Charlotte, Call the police."

-/\-

Harry was again locked in his cupboard under the stairs, his head and back hurt and he was very dizzy. But Uncle Vernon's threat echoed in his head. _"You get in there and don't you even think of coming out. You make one sound and you won't have any meals for a week."_

He had been in there a very long time. They hadn't even let him out to do his inside chores. But at least it was cooler in here. He placed the injured side of his face against the wood of the door. It felt cool and nice against his skin. Harry began to drift off to sleep and wasn't even rouse when the pounding began.

Three load bangs on the front door startled the Dursleys who were sitting in the living room having tea and biscuits. Petunia got up to answer it and while she was away Dudley stole her biscuit. Petunia opened the door and was quickly pushed aside by a man in a dark grey suit who quickly followed by a young woman in a cream overcoat and two uniformed offices. She was horrified to the see the police cars parked in front of her house, what would the neighbors think.

"Is this the home of Vernon and Petunia Dursley?" the suited man asked, all the while knowing it was.

"Yes, it is." Vernon Dursley stated, getting up to stare at the man. "And who do you think you are to come barging in here?"

"I am Inspector Dawson, this is Case Worker McKay, from Child Protection and officers Reese and Saunders. Now where is the boy?" Inspector Dawson demanded.

Vernon pointed to Dudley, who stared at them stupidly. "Our son is right there and he is just fine."

"Not that boy. The little black haired boy you decided to use as a punching bag today." Dawson said. Vernon blustered and tried to look shocked and offended. "Don't bother Dursley, I've seen the video. Now where is he?"

Vernon and Petunia Dursley had both refused to state where the child was, and the officers and Ms. McKay began to search the house. There were four bedrooms upstairs, the master bedroom, and obvious guestroom, a room that must be storage for broken toys and a child's room with every possible luxury. But nothing to indicate a second child. But as she came down the stairs and looked back into the living room, Ms. McKay could not help but notice how Mr. or Mrs. Dursley would look over toward the stairs every few minutes. She followed their eye and found a cupboard door, and reached her hand toward it.

"You stay out of there!" Vernon Dursley shouted.

"What's in there?" she asked.

"None of your concern." he said stubbornly.

"Then it won't change matters if I open it." she said and did just that.

Once the door was unlatched it flew open and a small boy fell to the floor.

Jennifer McKay had not expected the child to just fall out of the cupboard. She hurried to his side and rolled him over. The left side of the boy's face swollen and bruising, and his breathing was very wheezy.

"Wake up, little one." she said gently, "Open your eyes." the boy gave no sign of waking, she looked toward the Inspector, he was already calling for an ambulance and glaring at Vernon Dursley whose face had been drained of all color.


	3. Official Intervention

Every resident of Privet Drive was either standing on their front lawn or blatantly staring out their window at the scene taking place at Number 4. Vernon Dursley had been taken from the house in handcuffs and roughly escorted to the police car, by two police officers. The medics had a small black haired boy on a stretcher, and loaded him onto the ambulance. Once the boy was secure, the ambulance took off to the nearest hospital.

The whispers were rampant, and Mrs. Dursley was terrified to even look out her door. While the police did not have enough evidence to arrest Mrs. Dursley, Ms. McKay had called into her superior regarding the second boy, Dudley, as a couple who caused harm to one child would most likely cause harm to another. Yet they did not authorize the removal of the Dursley boy as he had not been physically abused. Ms. McKay took one look at the boy and determined that the real harm done to him was overindulgence.

After Vernon Dursley was taken the Inspector, Ms. McKay, and the other Social worker who had arrived, Mr. Jennings, began gathering additional evidence. They were horrified to discover that the little cupboard the boy had been in seemed to actually be his "bedroom". But they found nothing but a thin quilt folded to form a mattress, an equally thin blanket and about three changes of cloths which were obviously discards from the larger boy. They turned back at the sound of the weeping Mrs. Dursley, as she stood hugging herself and repeating "Oh, what will the neighbors say." more to herself then any of them. The three were utterly disgusted.

Down the street, one neighbor in particular was displeased to be pulled away from her spying and gossiping on the fall of the most self important and pompous family to ever reside on their street, but she had promise Mrs. Figg that she would feed her cats while she was out of town visiting friends.

Twelve miles away, in a hospital emergency room, nurses and doctors were trying to see to it that The Boy Who Lived would live.

-/\-

Ms. McKay had proceeded straight back to the office immediately after she had left Privet Drive. She had called the hospital as soon as she reached her office, and they reported that the boy was currently in stable condition, but Dr. Greene wanted to go over the boys case with her, and they set up an appointment for the next day. She had, after an arduous interview with Petunia Dursley, discovered the boys name was Harry James Potter and was actually the woman's nephew. However after a few calls had determined that no official custody agreement or adoption was in place. There was no legal claim the Dursleys had on the boy, and Mrs. Dursley herself stated that she had no idea if her sister or her husband had a will listing them as guardians, apparently he was just left on their doorstep in the middle of the night.

Ms. McKay worked well into the night filing all the necessary forms and inquiries along with a copy of the video tape that the Reynolds family were more than willing to provide. In the morning her section head would be reviewing the case with the prosecutor.

~~~ /\\~~~

Ms. McKay's meeting with the doctor had been scheduled for the following morning when Dr. Greene was off duty and was able to take the time to walk Ms. McKay through what they had discovered. The pair was sitting in his office where he was showing her the numerous x-rays, and discussing the boy's condition. Ms. McKay was actually surprised when she had learned the boy was really four years of age.

"Yes, his small stature could be the result of genetics but most likely due to mal nutrition. He was extremely dehydrated when he arrived, and has numerous bruises all over his body. Those to his face and shoulders appear to have been caused in the last twenty four hours and are our more pressing concern, however the rest are from three to ten days old." Dr. Greene handed her the chart and a copy of the hospital file which included pictures. "The x-rays have also revealed several previously healed fractures which I can date back at least a year." Dr. Greene stated disgusted. "This will all be in my report and should be ready by the end of the week."

"Excellent." Ms. McKay stated then inquired sadly, "Has there been any improvement?"

"He woke at about four this morning. The swelling in his head had lessened significantly overnight, we're still not sure how, its almost like magic." the doctor said with a weak attempt to smile, "He'll be alright…in time."

"I sincerely hope so, Doctor."

In London, as per procedure, copies of all documents requiring approval from some portion of the Government were provided for review for a person who was considered the most indispensable man in England.


	4. The Decision Made

Miranda Essex walked briskly into the exclusive Diogenes Club to seek out her employer. She had been performing her daily task of reviewing all documents filed through the ministry that were submitted for authoritative action which should be brought to Mr. Holmes attention. When Miranda had read the name on the file she recognized it immediately. Even though she was not what would be considered an active member of the Wizarding World and hadn't been since the war, she knew the name of their savior, and she still kept an ear to the ground and of course had a Daily Prophet subscription.

It was one of the reasons Mr. Holmes had hired her three years ago, and she had been grateful for the position ever since. Not just because all of Mycroft Holmes past assistants had a habit of securing very high paying and secure positions once they left his employ, but also because as a Muggleborn, any potential employment in the Wizarding World was hard to come by, pureblood prejudice was rampant, especially in the Ministry. Muggleborns were only hired for the lowest positions and it was so incredibly frustrating to have to sit by and watch "pureblood" witches and wizards straight out of Hogwarts getting higher and better positions with nothing more to recommend them than a family name.

/\

When she had been "overlooked" for the fourth time for a higher position in her department, and it had instead gone to the 18 year old son of an old school friend of the Department Head, she knew that she would never get anywhere in the Ministry. That was why she had agreed to accept the position from the woman who was now her predecessor.

Miranda had noticed the lovely woman a few times in the Ministry. She looked to be about thirty, and always dressed very well, and soon enough she was noticing her in other locations. On the street outside the Ministry entrance, on the bus home, at the corner outside her apartment building. Until one day Miranda chose not to simply ignore her. Instead she walked right up to her and demanded to know why she was following her.

"I was starting to wonder if you were actually going to do it." the woman said smiling, catching Miranda completely off guard.

"What?"

"Its been four days, I was beginning to wonder. No matter, you have, so let us discuss." she smiled and gestured for Miranda to walk with her down the street.

"Who are you?"

"Not a very original question, but direct. I am Lydia Crain, and I have an opportunity for you." She said smiling. "A most interesting and important position in the government."

"Then why not approach me at the office?" Miranda asked not sure if she should believe the woman.

"As part of the … gentlemen's agreement, we call it, I can not approach any candidate for this position nor can my employer. They have to come to us." Lydia explained. "Coffee?" she walked into the corner café without looking to see if Miranda was following.

"Why?" she asked as they sat down, and gave their order to the prompt waitress.

"The Ministry does not want to allow those like us to find suitable positions of power, thus the pureblood dominance. As they technically are their own branch of government, they also like to believe that they are the only branch of government. So many years ago an agreement was struck, that the British Government could not actively recruit from the Ministry or the School." Lydia explained and thanked the girl as she returned with their coffees.

"That makes no sense, you would think they would want more wi- _of us_, it those positions."

"You've seen it yourself," Lydia explained, "those of _purity_ can not function outside of their own world, they can't master technology, most are afraid of it."

"So you're a…" Miranda cut herself off, looking around the café.

"My father was a Royal Marine, and my mother was a hair dresser."

"So you kept following me hoping I would confront you, and thereby you could say I approached you." Miranda concluded.

"Old tricks are the best tricks." she smiled. "Now the question is, are you interested enough to accept."

"You would offer me a position without knowing anything about me, or what I'm capable of?" Miranda asked evenly.

"You think I don't already know everything there is to know about you?" Lydia smiled.

"So what exactly is this position?"

"You will be taking over for me as the assistant for the most powerful man in the country."

"You said this was a position in the British Government?" Miranda reminded.

"He is the British Government." Lydia stated with a steady smile.

/\

Miranda found Mycroft Holmes in his favorite leather arm chair idly reading one of the eleven papers which were delivered to him daily. She quietly walked up and handed him the file regarding the case of Harry James Potter.

Mycroft knew the name instantly, as he was always current on the news of both worlds. He read over the report quickly but thoroughly, before standing and proceeding out the door. Once in the car he had reread the report.

"What is the current news from their end?" he asked quietly.

"There hasn't been a word, from what I can gather they don't know, yet."

"How interesting." Mycroft said, before sitting in silence for several minutes in deep thought. "Alert the staff to open our country house, and prepare for the care of a young boy, and see to it all the necessary _adjustment_ are made to the house. Additional staff will be needed to address the boys needs directly, see to it that the my usual standards are kept, and that they are capable of handling the boys … conditions."

"Sir, you wish to adopt the boy?"

"What I wish has nothing to do with the matter. The threat we faced during their war was a very real danger in our world, people died, destruction was rampant, and their efforts to cover it up were feeble at best." Mycroft stated plainly, "That threat is not gone, and as their world places so much faith and dependence on a child they then threw away, it is necessary for our world to look after our own interests."

"Of course, Sir." Miranda said as she didn't know what else to say, her employer could be so cold sometimes.


End file.
